South Africa’s 2025 marathon calendar featured a record 138 events, including standard marathons, ultras, and combos, with 16 new inaugural races added. The distribution of marathons shifted provincially, with Gauteng overtaking KwaZulu Natal as the leading province for long-distance running events. Costs to participate averaged R7.81 per kilometer, with KwaZulu Natal being the most expensive and the Northern Cape offering the best value. Entry fees saw an average increase of 5.4% from 2024 to 2025. The most expensive races included Two Oceans and Loskop, while the cheapest were predominantly rural events like the Knysna Heads Marathon. Despite inflation, several races maintained or reduced their fees. Marathon events were heavily concentrated between February and April, particularly around Comrades qualifications. Route types varied, with ultras favoring point-to-point formats and marathons split more evenly among route types. Comrades offered the largest prize money, with only a few other races offering si
• Record number of events: South Africa hosted 138 marathon-related events in 2025, including 112 standard marathons, 25 ultras, and 1 combo race, with 16 being inaugural events. [1] [2]
• Provincial marathon distribution: Gauteng became the top province for marathons, surpassing KwaZulu Natal, with Eastern Cape, Limpopo, and Mpumalanga tied for third; Northern Cape had no ultras. [3] [4]
• Average running cost and provincial differences: The average cost per kilometer was R7.81, highest in KwaZulu Natal; Northern Cape and Free State offered the best value. [5] [6]
• Entry fee inflation trends: Entry fees increased by 5.4% countrywide from 2024 to 2025, with North West seeing the highest inflation; Eastern Cape was the only province with a slight fee decrease. [7]
• Most expensive races: Two Oceans Marathon was the priciest, followed by Loskop and Cape Town Marathon; combined entry fees for the top 10 costliest races reached R6,634. [8]
• Cheapest marathon options: Rural marathons like Knysna Heads, Laingsburg, and Umzila Ka Tambo offered the lowest costs, with Knysna Heads below R3 per kilometer. [9] [10]
• Entry fee changes and stability: Many races raised fees due to economic pressures, but 36 events kept prices stable and 5 reduced fees, including the Washie and Gqeberha 50k. [11] [12]
• Seasonal marathon distribution: Over half of marathons took place from February to April, centered around Comrades qualifications, leaving opportunities to expand events in the latter half of the year. [13]
• Route types and prize money: Marathons were evenly split by route type, while ultras favored point-to-point; Comrades offered the largest prize money, with few others providing six-figure winnings. [14] [15]
